One Step Ahead
by SoraxSeph Lover
Summary: Xiao Qiao's been having strange nightmares. What's even more odd is that the events in the dreams can come true. But if she's playing against fate and saves those who are supposed to perish, what happens when her fate becomes unclear? If you had the power to change fates, would you? Even if that meant risking your own? Go on. Change the arrow of destiny, or change the target...
1. Lady Wu

**Chapter 1: Lady Wu**

_Xiao_, Lady Wu called her from her thoughts. _Sun Jian... ambush… please warn him._

"I don't understand!" Xiao shouted at nothing. "...Where?" The voice didn't speak. "Lady Wu, please, tell me where!"

_Ambush… Lui Biao… Xiao, help my husband…_

"W-Wait!" she ordered.

"XIAO QIAO!" Da Qiao called her.

"Sis! Where are you?!" Xiao Qiao screamed. She ran along the castle bridge in her night gown and watched the burning town below her. Men were being slaughtered. Babies were being pulled away from their mothers. The women and young girls were doing their best to protect their chastity belts. It was a gruesome sight, and she was frightened.

Her brown hair blew in the night air while she ran to go find her sister, and hopefully Zhou Yu. The castle was on fire, but that wasn't going to stop her from finding them. They had to be alive. They just had to be…

**...One Step Ahead...**

She ran into the great hall and found many soldiers on the ground, probably dead. She took in some shaky breaths when she heard footsteps behind her. Before she could turn, a sword was placed to her throat.

She heard his chuckle and her skin whitened further. Cao Cao's chuckle of taunt echoed throughout the great hall. "I finally have a Qiao…" He licked her ear, and she tried to pull free. Due to the sword at her throat, it nicked at her neck. She bit her lip and began to cry at the burning sensation.

Cao Cao simply chuckled again, completely ignoring the fact that several Wu officers had come in. Among them were Zhou Yu and Sun Ce.

"Xiao…," Zhou Yu whispered. He glared at Cao Cao and was prepared to advance.

Sun Ce grabbed his shoulder, preventing him from doing so. He saw how Cao Cao had cut along Xiao Qiao's neck a little further. Usually it was Zhou Yu that had to prevent Sun Ce from being too reckless, but under shitty circumstance, Sun Ce assumed the role to be his. If Zhou Yu rushed in now, Xiao Qiao would be dead, and Cao Cao probably had an escape plan. "Hang on a sec…"

Zhou Yu scolded himself for attempting to rush, but he loved Xiao Qiao. He didn't want to see anything happen to her. "Xiao…"

Xiao looked Zhou Yu in the eyes while she cried. Her hair was in her face, due to her trying to pull away from Cao Cao. She lifted her hand and reached out to him, silently telling him to help her.

Then she watched as they all fell to the floor. Death had visited the great hall. Cao Cao fell down, not dead, but only moments from it. She ran to Zhou Yu's body and pushed his chest. "Zh-Zhou Yu!" She placed her hair behind her ear and placed her hands on both sides of her face. "Wake up…!" She pushed at him again, and Cao Cao began chuckling from the spot where he lay.

"Xiao…" His vision began to blur as he looked at the weeping girl. "…We'll meet again… at Chi Bi…"

She ignored his comment and grabbed Zhou Yu's hand. She kissed it and began crying her eyes out. "Zhou Yu… please wake up…" She lay down on his chest, even after the flames began to spread.

"Xiao!" Da Qiao called her sister.

Xiao looked up at the entrance of the great hall to see her sister standing there, mortified at the sight of her dead husband and the rest of the Wu officers. The little sister stood and reached out to Da Qiao. She screamed for Da Qiao to run, seeing a Wei officer run up behind her. "DA QIAO!" Just as Dian Wei's mallet connected with her sister's head, she woke up.

**...One Step Ahead...**

"NO!" she screamed. The scream carried all across the castle of Wu. Many officers were already awake, either sparring or having breakfast, but all of them heard her agonizing scream and dropped everything. Zhou Yu, who was in the counsel room, was the first officer to arrive at his shared room with his wife. He hurriedly moved past the maiden's that were already inside and looked at the sight of his wife.

She was in a corner with a blanket wrapped around her petite frame. She was dressed in her silk night attire and her legs were pulled to her chest. She was shaking, even after he knelt and cradled her in his arms.

The other officers stood outside the room, not entering out of respect. Da Qiao pushed past them all and entered. She knelt beside the couple and brushed the hair out of her sister's face.

"What happened Xiao?" Zhou asked her softly, yet collectedly. "Bad dream?"

She nodded and sniffled in his arms. Her nails dug in his back. "Y-You all died!" she wailed childishly. Her puffy, brown eyes met his with a silent plea. "You just died right in front of me… I didn't know what to do –No one came to help –I thought I lost you Zhou Yu! …And then Cao Cao–"

"Cao Cao?" Sun Jian probed her while he stepped into the room.

Sun Jian crossed his arms and shared a look with Zhou Yu. "What else Xiao?" the older man asked her.

She sniffled again and Zhou Yu wiped her tears with his thumbs. "Um, everything was on fire… yes, people were being slaughtered. Women were getting..." She blushed. "...raped."

Sun Jian thought about sending spies to check on Cao Cao's forces. He nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait!" she called to him. She stood and covered her garments with the blanket. Zhou Yu pulled her close and rubbed her shoulder soothingly. "He said something to me…" She looked at the floor and stared at her bare feet. She shifted her weight as if she were balancing on her tip toes, and then rocked back and forth once before standing straight. "…He said that we'll meet again." She looked at him with sympathy. "Lady Wu… wanted me to warn you…"

Sun Jian ordered that everyone but, his children, Zhou Yu, and the two Qiao's, leave and go about their usual morning business. After they cleared, Sun Shang Xiang gave the little Qiao an eerie gaze. "My mother talked to _you_ in a dream?" she asked.

Da Qiao looked at Sun Ce, who was deep in thought. He studied the youngest Qiao, not sure of how to assess the situation. "This is...new..."

Sun Quan seemed to disagree. "What if it's sorcery?"

"What if it isn't?" Sun Ce countered. He shared a look with Zhou Yu. _Why didn't she talk to Xiang or Quan…or me…? We're her children._

Xiao Qiao combed her hand through her hair and clutched Zhou Yu's arm. She placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. _Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?_

Sun Jian didn't know whether or not to press the dream any further. He had a campaign against Lui Biao to be concerned about.

**...********...One Step Ahead...**...

* * *

**Author's note: I made this a few weeks ago, but didn't bother posting it until now. I don't mind reviews. I also don't mind criticism, as long as it's not thrown at me in a rude way ;3  
**


	2. Wu Needs A New Hero

**Chapter 2:** Wu Needs A New Hero

"But my dreams were true," Xiao Qiao whispered to herself. She watched from atop the castle wall as some officers of Wu, and many troops, prepared for the campaign against Lui Biao. She didn't want Sun Jian to leave. Lady Wu had warned her of this, but all officers of Wu didn't seem to believe her. They believe that she had been hexed.

She couldn't fail by letting the man go. She looked below at the ranks of people and sighed blissfully at the thought of Zhou Yu. She had said goodbye to him earlier, but she knew that she'd see him again. She was needed on the battlefield and she had to save Sun Jian, even if none of the officers believed in her dream.

She paced around in a circle nervously and fiddled with her delicate fingers. "What if they aren't real? What if my dreams are a trick?"

An idea popped into her head and she nearly squealed. She jumped down from the castle wall and safely on the ground. She ran past her curious sister, Da Qiao, some maids, and some guards. The whole time she wore a cheerful grin on her lips. She tore through the palace until she arrived at her room door.

She opened it and shut it behind her before she jumped into bed and pulled the sheets over her head.

"Fall asleep, fall asleep, fall asleep…" Nothing was happening, because it was noonday, and she wasn't the least bit tired. She huffed and threw the blankets off her petite frame. She sat up in the bed and crossed her arms. She pouted and tapped her fingers against her arms while she thought. Her sandy brown eyes lingered around the room. A soft smile replaced her pout when she looked at her fans.

She scooted out of bed and picked them up. When she attacked, she would spin in a circle, but maybe if she did it enough times, she'd actually pass out from exhaustion...

**...One Step Ahead...**

...The sun was setting and Xiao Qiao was still twirling in a circle around her room. The troops had long gone and her face was a sickly greenish color. Da Qiao, who hadn't seen her sister since that morning, walked into the youngest Qiao's room to find the girl spinning aimlessly with her twin fans in her hands.

"What are you doing?" Da Qiao asked her.

Xiao kept spinning, despite how nauseous she was. She had been holding in her vomit for hours. "…unnnnn."

Da Qiao watched as the girl slowly stopped spinning. She ran to help her sister when Xiao stumbled in her steps. She screamed in disgust when her little sister puked out the vomit she had been holding in, right on her red and blue dress.

"Xiao Qiao!" she scolded her. She helped her sister climb into bed and looked down at herself. "Look at what you've done. My dress… Why on earth were you spinning like that–" Her face softened and she smiled at the adorable sight. Xiao Qiao was asleep. She would have to scold her again and ask about her sudden behavior later. It was odd of Xiao. She had done some not so smart things in the past, but this was just…tiring.

Xiao Qiao cuddled into her sheets as her sister left in search of a garment change. A faint amount of drool slipped between her moist lips and visions of Lady Wu returned.

_Xiao looked around the terrain. She saw that she was in Jing Province. She was a translucent form, watching the battlefield around her. _

_Sun Jian rode by on his horse and arrows flew at him from above. She looked up at the archers only briefly before her sandy brown eyes traveled back to Sun Jian. His horse had slowed, and he was leaning to one side. There were arrows covering his upper half. _

_She ran to the man as he fell off the horse and landed on the grass. She tried to touch him, but her hands went through his body, as if she were a ghost. She stood and covered her mouth as she watched the man die. A soft hand was placed on her shoulder. She turned to see Lady Wu._

_"Hurry," she told Xiao. "They're nearly a day ahead of you. Only one more and they reach Jing Province."_

_"Jing Province," Xiao whispered. So the dream was true, which meant she had to save Sun Jian. She looked at Lady Wu, her brown hair, fair complexion, and red robe. "What about the other officers? Can I help them too?"_

_Lady Wu smiled at her. She placed blue fan weapons in Xiao's hands, Grace. "I will give you a different fan after you've saved a life. Your fans can only level up by my command. Do not give these weapons to anyone. Do you understand?"_

_Xiao nodded. "Yes ma'am."_

_"You may be small, but you hold a power that many wish they could have," she whispered softly. She placed her hand on Xiao's cheek. "Fate can be changed, but know that if you help these people, your fate will be unsure."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you've altered the fabric of time..." Lady Wu began to vanish. "Xiao, are you prepared to risk your fate to change everyone else's?"_

_Xiao nodded without hesitation. She was scared, but she didn't want any of the people she cared about to die, especially not Zhou Yu. If she wanted to protect him then she needed to be able to see his fate. As long as Zhou Yu was safe, she was content._

_"Nearly a day's journey is needed to catch up to them," Lady Wu told her. "It's time for you to wake up."_

Xiao opened her eyes and found herself in her room. She moved to get up, but felt two objects in her hands. Two fans, Grace. She looked outside and saw that the morning was approaching. She scurried out of bed and ran towards the stables.

When she arrived at the stables, she was drawn to a black horse. Her fingers petted the stallion's hair and she didn't notice her sister's presence. She set up the saddle on the horse and placed her things away in a hurry.

"Xiao," Da Qiao spoke softly. "Why aren't you resting? You do remember you threw up on me and passed out earlier, right?"

Xiao turned to her sister and pouted. "It was an accident, sis."

Da crossed her arms. "You should be in bed."

Xiao was stubborn, so this argument could last for a while…unless… She walked over to her sister and grabbed her hands. She took a deep breath. "Sis, what would you do if you found out a way to help someone, like change the outcome of what would happen to them? Would you help them, or let it be and let destiny handle it?"

Da Qiao studied her sisters pleading eyes. "I…" She nodded. "I'd help them." It was only logical that she help them. It was also the right thing to do.

Xiao squealed in excitement and spoke animatedly. "Come with me!"

Da Qiao's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Wh-What?"

"We have to save Lord Sun Jian, and whoever else's fate ends like his!"

This wasn't making any sense to the older Qiao. "Xiao… if this is about your dream from before Sun Ce and the other said–"

"It's true!" Xiao whined and pouted. She swung her sister's arm childishly. "Pleeeeease sis?!"

Da Qiao had a bad feeling about this, but Xiao was never one to lie, so why would she start know? What reason did she have not to believe her little sister? "…Okay Xiao."

"Yay!" Xiao squealed. "I'll explain everything on the way, but we can't stop until we reach Jing Province!"

Da Qiao wondered how Sun Ce would feel about her being out on a battlefield, and Xiao Qiao couldn't wait to surprise Zhou Yu by saving Sun Jian at Jing. Regardless of what the outcome of her fate was, she was going to be the hero for a change, and not have all of the men, or Sun Shang Xiang, take the glory. She was small, but she wanted to make a difference and feel needed.

When they mounted their horses, Xiao on the black Stallion and Da on the white, the youngest Qiao grinned at her sister. "Don't worry sis, leave everything to me." They snuck out of the Wu castle and rode into the night. _Zhou Yu is going to be so proud of me!_

Da Qiao watched her sister as they rode away further from their home. _Change the outcome? Does that mean that Sun Ce's life is in danger too?_ She was kind of glad that she chose to go with her sister. She didn't want Xiao saving her Sun Ce. That was her job, as his proud wife.

**...One Step Ahead...**

**Author's note: You all know about the fans. I'm using different fans from all the games to use for Xiao to level up. Review for me? By the way, can anyone tell me if Xiao Qiao's gonna be in the upcoming game or not? I saw that Da Qiao is, but Idk if Xiao is.**


	3. I Got Your Back Sis!

**Chapter 3: I Got Your Back, Sis!**

"I'm beginning to think that we should have stayed at home, Xiao," Da told her sister wearily. They had left their horses a little ways back and were sneaking through the forest by foot. "Who gave you those fans anyhow?"

"Lady Wu," Xiao told her. She pushed through the bushes and swatted at a mosquito. "This humidity is making my hair frizz. I hope Zhou Yu won't mind."

Da Qiao actually deadpanned and stopped walking. "We are in the middle of a battlefield, and that's what you're worried about?"

The youngest shrugged. "Pretty much sis." She ushered her sister to follow her. "Come on."

Da sighed and rubbed her temples.

After about ten more minutes of walking, they saw archers up ahead, with their backs facing them. They crouched in their hiding place. "Where are we Xiao?" Da asked her quietly.

"Jing Province," the younger whispered. Her brown eyes calculated how many archers there were, quite a bit. "And that still leaves the ones down below, and across at the castle…"

"Below where?" Da asked her in a whisper. "Across what?"

Xiao pointed. "We've got to be quick sis… There are archers at every angle, all to kill Lord Sun Jian." She squinted. "If I could just get enough wind, then maybe I could attack the ones here and across the other side in one sweep. Then we could focus on the ones down below."

Da Qiao looked at the enemy and nodded. This was for Sun Ce and his family, which she was now a part of, so of course she was going to help. "If we both attack at the same time with an aerial spin, the projection of the wind will be enough to strike both upper sides, Xiao. It's in our favor, blowing at them from behind." She turned to her sister hopefully. "And then we can attack the archers on the ground."

Xiao smiled. "Let's do it."

Both sisters readied their fans and charged. The wind was in their favor, and because they were behind the archers, none of the men had seen them coming. Xiao and Da Qiao cleared the first side on the cliffs in a matter of seconds, and by the time the archers on the other side had time to respond, Xiao had spun –with help from her sister –over to that side and began demolishing the archer unit. While Xiao was up above doing this, Da Qiao was below, taking out the archers in a surprise attack before they could shoot. The only problem was there were two sides, like there was up above, and Da Qiao had no one to cover her other side.

The archers on the side farthest from Da Qiao began to attack, and Xiao looked down and saw. She jumped from the castle wall and landed behind her sister, just as two arrow's made their way over to her. One arrow got caught in one of her fans and she pouted at the enemy. The other arrow had vanished. She stood in a battle stance, back to back with her sister. "I got your back, sis."

Da Qiao smiled faintly. "I know you do." They charged, flipping to dodge enemies and attacking with all the strength they could muster. For two petite girls, they were doing pretty darn good.

They heard a horse approaching once their enemies were either unconscious or dead. Their fans were bloody and Xiao was tired. When an archer that was dying grabbed at her leg, she squeaked and kicked him in the face out of reflex.

Da Qiao would have laughed, had she not noticed a gash on her little sister's arm. She rushed to her as Sun Jian's horse neighed and halted. He jumped off the horse and glanced around at the battle field. There were several bodies of archers on the ground and two Qiao's standing, one pouting and the other checking a wound.

He scratched his chin in wonder. "What…? What happened?"

Xiao whined as Da Qiao began to wrap her wound. She looked up at her father-in-law and wiped her hair behind her ear. "Um… well…"

"Da Qiao!" Sun Ce yelled. He rode his horse over to them and jumped off in a rush. He ran to his wife and she smiled nervously. "What are you doing here?"

Xiao was still hurt, and pouting. "We came to help." She pointed. "I think we did okay, don't you?"

Sun Ce grinned at the pair and hugged his wife. "You two did great." He cradled Da's face in his hand. "But you could have been hurt."

Da shook her head. "No, Xiao's dream, it was true, Sun Ce." She placed her hand on Sun Ce's chest and looked at her father-in-law. "Lady Wu spoke to her. This was an ambush planned for you. She saved your life."

"With your help," Xiao told her. She groaned and rolled her arm around, as if trying to stretch the pain away. She looked around when Sun Shang Xiang approached. "Where's Zhou Yu?" she asked no one in particular. Her craving wasn't around. "Why isn't he here?"

Sun Ce knew that look, the look of longing that she always had whenever Zhou Yu wasn't around. Xiao was in love with his best friend, just as much as Da was in love with him. It was cute to say the least.

He pointed over his shoulder. "Breaking through the castle's right side with Huang Gai's, Zhou Tai's at the front with Quan. The two of us were in charge of this side." He pointed at his sister.

That was all the information that Xiao needed. She whistled and the sound vibrated throughout the battlefield. Everyone stopped briefly, wondering how a whistle could have projected that great a length.

On the other side of the battlefield, Zhou Yu stopped his horse and looked around. A sudden feeling of warmth overtook him and the urge to get home to Xiao in one piece was screaming at him. "Press onward," he told his men. He turned on his horse. "Huang Gai, the catapults."

"Right," the man agreed gruffly. He waved for the catapults to advance. "Fire!"

Many stones hit the large side doors of the castle. After several rounds, it broke down and the men charged. Zhou Yu pulled at the reins of his horse to keep steady. He looked up at the clouds. "Xiao…" He jerked the reins to get the horse to run. He slashed at an enemy with his pole and rushed onward with his horse.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the two Qiao's horses had returned, and Xiao jumped on hers.

"How'd you do that?" Da Qiao asked her in amazement.

She grinned. "Lady Wu, I think." She bowed on her horse. "Lord Sun Jian, please excuse me, but I have to go find Zhou Yu."

The man grabbed her reigns to stop her. "I want to thank you Xiao. I should have listened to you, and because I didn't, I almost lost my life, so thank you."

She bowed again and he let go of the reigns. Her horse dashed away to find an opening in the castle walls.

Da Qiao looked at Sun Ce and she frowned. "You let her leave?"

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I know for a fact that there are Wu troops stationed all around the castle. The only place we needed to clear was here, and you and your sister took care of that for us. The only enemies now are the people inside, but Zhou Yu's already in there Da Qiao, and Quan, and Huang Gai, and Zhou Tai. She's well looked after." He grinned when a smile of relief graced her features. He turned to his father.

"You should get going dad," Shang Xiang told him. "We can take care of it from here."

The man nodded and jumped back on his horse. "I'm trusting you." He looked at Da and smiled. "Thank you, and Sun Ce, you and Zhou Yu are lucky to have such wives that care for you, and others as much as they do."

"I know dad," Sun Ce assured him. They watched as the man rushed away.

Sun Ce held Da Qiao close to him and turned to his men. He wiped the sweat from his face and raised his fist in the air with his free hand. "Alright men, let's get those catapults ready!"

"Yes sir!" they responded with enthusiasm. Sun Ce's energetic attitude boosted their morale.

Da Qiao smiled up at her husband, wishing that the battle would hurry up and be over.

**...One Step Ahead...**

Xiao entered the castle from the front side, and sped past Quan and Zhou Tai. "Hi 'ya!" she chirped as she rushed by.

Quan and Zhou Tai stared. "Was that…?" Sun Quan asked.

Zhou Tai nodded. "Indeed…"

They attacked some enemies and decided to follow the young Qiao, hoping that she wouldn't get hurt. In reality, she really didn't need their help. She spun her fans in a circle and slashed through her enemies. She didn't even care that her arm was wounded from the arrow she had taken by protecting her sister earlier. She just needed to get to her husband, her addiction, Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu and Huang Gai had cleared the small area of the castle and were headed to the main keep, when Zhou Yu heard a delicate, yet high-pitched voice. "Zhou Yu!" Xiao screamed for him excitedly. Her horse was going at full speed, and it tripped over the body of an enemy. Everyone gasped as Xiao was flung off the creature and she and the horse rolled onto the ground.

Xiao laid there and rubbed her bum, while her horse got up and walked off. "Ow…"

Zhou Yu was by her side in a matter of seconds. He knelt beside her and cradled her in his arms. "Xiao!" he called her in alarm. When she grinned up at him he sighed in relief and brushed her hair out of her face. Her ponytail had come undone during her fall. "Xiao… what are you doing here?"

She gripped his neck as he picked her up in his arms. "I came to help you!" She beamed at him. "Da Qiao and I took out the archers that were going to kill Lord Sun Jian."

He seemed surprised, like the other Wu officers and soldiers. "Really?" She nodded happily in his arms and held on to him for dear life. "You're hurt."

"It's just a few bruises and scratches," she told him optimistically.

But Zhou Yu didn't want her damaged at all. To him he saw massive wounds on his wife, even if to the normal human eye they were just simple cuts and bruises. He was very overprotective of Xiao. "I'm taking you back to the main camp," he told her softly. He lifted her onto his horse and ascended the ride as well.

She rested her head on his chest and pouted. "But I took out all of those bad guys, just me and Da Qiao," she stated proudly. She felt her bum burning from the fall.

He smiled as he and Huang shared a stare. The man nodded, giving him the okay to return Xiao back to the camp.

He sped off. "Xiao," he told her as they left. "I know that you're capable of defending yourself, but try not to do too much when I'm not around. You really worried me, when I thought you were safe at home." He held her waist while he steered the reigns.

She pouted. "Okay…"

When they entered the camp, he stopped the horse and placed a soft kiss on her head. "I'm proud of you," he whispered.

That was all she needed to hear. She beamed as he lifted her off the horse and carried her into a tent. He placed her on a bed and gave her a chaste kiss before he kissed her forehead again. "Xiao, please stay here."

She nodded blissfully. "I will…"

As soon as he left, she squealed and passed out, due to exhaustion.

_"Well done," Lady Wu told her softly. She handed Xiao another set of fans, True Grace. "These are for you."_

_"Is anyone else's life in danger?" she asked the woman urgently, already knowing her job._

_The woman nodded. "Yes, but this battle has months to occur. I will see you again before the event, to brief you on your next task. Until then, use the weapons wisely, train. I grant you the gift of using elements. Your new element to master is water. Once you complete your next task and save a life, I will grant you with another weapon and another element."_

_Xiao looked down at her fans and agreed._

_"Thank you, Xiao…"_

_She smiled at the beautiful, fair skinned woman. "You're welcome."_

Xiao woke up in Zhou Yu's arms, on his horse, surrounded by many troops in lines. _They must be on their way back home._

"Well look who's up," Sun Ce told everyone eagerly. "Have a nice nap?"

She grinned in her husband's arms. "You bet!"

She stared up at Zhou Yu and he smiled softly at her. Da Qiao, who was on her own horse, smiled at the pair. When she met eyes with her husband, they shared a warm smile.

"Who would've thought that you would save the day," Sun Quan teased.

"Tell me about it," Sun Ce teased lightly. Xiao Qiao stuck her tongue out at the pair playfully, and both men laughed. Their sister-in-law was adorable to pick on, like their sister Sun Shang Xiang.

Xiao looked up at Zhou Yu again. "So, Lui Biao is gone?"

Sun Ce grinned smugly and pointed behind him with his thumb. "His head's in the bag."

She followed his thumb and saw a bloody cloth bag hanging from Huang Gai's horse.

She grimaced. "Ew!" Everyone laughed, but Zhou Yu, who observed her worriedly. He was proud of her, but she had scared him today.

**...One Step Ahead...**

**Author's note: Sorry for the late update. School started back up near the beginning of this week and I got a little busy. Please review if you're reading.  
**


	4. Soaked!

** Charlotte Swan, thank you so much for reviewing!**

**Chapter 4: Soaked!  
**

Xiao Qiao woke up in her bed, and turned, instantly smiling. Her husband lay beside her, his light breathing and parted lips causing her to blush. The night they got back was...close to incredible. Zhou Yu had never slept with her before, though they were married. He'd always say that she wasn't ready. She had never gotten the courage to ask, and it was entirely out of place for her to keep questioning it... But last night, they had come close, so desperately close.

_Too bad I ruined it by falling asleep... I can't help it if I was still exhausted._

She leaned over him and stroked some strands of his hair out of his face. She sucked in her bottom lip when her lips neared his, hesitating. She didn't want to wake him. After getting some courage, she placed a soft kiss on his lips. She found their lips moving against each other. Even in sleep, he was a good kisser. _Multi-talented..._

After nearly squealing at her little achievement, Xiao lay there by his side until he woke up about twenty minutes later.

"Good morning," he greeted her softly.

Her face was as red as a tomato, especially when memories of their almost adventure last night flashed in her mind. "G-Good morning, lord Zhou Yu..."

He sighed tiredly and smiled. "I told you, calling me lord is not required Xiao. I'm fine with Zhou Yu. I thought we had gotten past that habit already." Her old habit from last year had returned, due to her being embarrassed about last night.

"S-Sorry lo..." She grinned sheepishly and they both sat up. He combed his hand through her hair and kissed her cheek when she replied, "Sorry, Zhou Yu."

He studied her. "I've upset you..."

She shook her hand quickly and grabbed his hand. She kissed it. "No... I..." She peered up at him through her lashes. "Did _I_ upset _you_?" She was referring to when she had fallen asleep last night.

He didn't seem to think so. He patted her leg and got out of bed. "Not at all, Xiao. You could never upset me."

"But it was rude," she whined. She watched him take his night shirt off, and wiped the drool off her mouth. Now was _not_ the time to get caught up staring at that body (_that body_!), the same body that was so deliciously eager to take her last night. She gulped and sucked in her bottom lip. "I'm sorry..."

He turned around and she nearly convulsed. The abs... _Dear lord, his abs!_ She stared at him in awe, mouth agape.

He stepped over to her and placed his palms on the bed, bending slightly so that his lips could reach hers. "It's perfectly fine, Xiao," he assured her in a whisper. She fluttered her eyes closed when they shared a passionate, longing kiss. Their mouths massaged each other sweetly. "Okay?"

She nodded with a dumbfounded expression, and decided to watch him dress before she moved to dress herself.

**...One Step Ahead...**

"You got me wet!" Da Qiao informed her sister loudly. She squeezed the water out of her hair and sighed.

Xiao grinned sheepishly, and waved at her drenched sister from across the sparring grounds. "Whoops, didn't see you there sis, sorry!"

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were by Da Qiao's side in a hurry, handing the soaked sister their handkerchiefs. It seems the water element Xiao had received from Lady Wu wasn't going well.

"I'm making a fool of myself in front of Zhou Yu," Xiao Qiao whispered in panic. "Get it together brain!" She didn't want to embarrass herself _again_...

"_Who_ are you taking to?" Gan Ning asked her curiously. When did he get there? And how long...?

She straightened herself up and cleared her throat. "N-No one!"

He shook his had and placed his hands behind his neck. "Right... look do you need some help?"

Her eyes widened. "From_ you_?"

"You don't want my help?"

She shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant! I just mean... _you_ never offer to help anyone..." He had a stubborn personality. He really did.

He rolled his eyes. "No one ever asks..." Pointed validated.

She nodded with eagerness in her eyes. "Alright!"

"You need to calm down," he told her bluntly. He crossed his arms. "You're too loud. It's a distraction."

She pouted and crossed her arms. "I'm not loud..."

He sighed and poked her forehead. "No, I mean your energy flow is too loud. Calm down. You're only distracting yourself. This requires patience Xiao Qiao, and you're far from it."

She frowned. "I am not!" She covered her mouth and rolled her eyes when he gave her a deadpanned stare. "Okay, okay... I get it. What do I do to fix that?"

"Sit," he told her.

She did as she was told. "Now what?"

"Just stay like that," he told her deviously. He started to leave and her whine of protest stopped him. He smirked. "Just sit, I'll be back to teach you real water stuff in a bit."

"How do you know so much about water?" she asked as he walked away.

"Pirate," was all he told her. Oh yeah, he was a pirate...

**...One Step Ahead...**

Seconds became minutes... minutes became hours... and Gan Ning still hadn't returned. Xiao sat on the grass with a bored expression while she played with a lady bug that was on her finger.

Up above her, on the high castle walls, Gan Ning stood next to Zhou Yu, Sun Ce and Da Qiao. "I'm surprised she hasn't thrown a fit yet," Da Qiao stated. "It's been hours and I'm sure she's hungry..."

"Aw," Sun Ce cooed with a tease in his voice. "She's learning patience..." _That's so cute!_

Zhou Yu looked okay on the outside, but his insides were panicking. His wife had been sitting there an awfully long time, but Sun Ce and Da Qiao were right. She had learned patience and it was needed to master an element. Members of Wu that learned abilities to use elements often used fire. None had learned water, except Gan Ning. It made sense that he be her teacher. His methods were um... questionable in Zhou Yu's eyes, mostly because Zhou Yu liked to spoil his wife.

Zhou Yu could tell she was getting fidgety. He frowned and gazed at Gan Ning. It was a tired, pleading look. He could have thrown a tantrum of his own after seeing her sitting down there for so long. He'd seen her do it enough times to know how to do it, and do it right. Tantrums and pouting were a very tactful art that required skill.

The pirate sighed. "Alright, alright..." He jumped down from the castle wall and landed beside Xiao.

She pouted when she peered up at him. "Did you have a nice lunch? I certainly didn't."

He smirked. "It was delicious."

Her brown eyes narrowed at him she and stuck her tongue out. "Meanie..."

He patted her head in response and she smiled. She was over it. They never really spent an immense amount of time together, Gan Ning and Xiao Qiao, but they did act like siblings. Everyone knew their relationship: Gan Ning the big brother role, and Xiao Qiao the little sister. She was close to him because their personalities just attracted, not romantically, just like siblings...

He rubbed his hands. "Alright, you ready?"

She jumped up and nodded. "Yeah!"

Gan Ning made water appear in his hands. He levitated it in front of her. "Hold it steady," he instructed her.

She used her powers to levitate the water, watching it float in place. Gan Ning released his hold on the water, and placed his hands by his sides. He grinned. "You learned how to grip it faster then I thought you would."

"Yes!" she squealed. When she punched the air proudly and cheered, her loud energy making the water skyrocket into the air. She and Gan Ning waited for the water to return, but it never did.

They looked up and saw Zhou Yu whipping his face off up above. His clothes were soaked. Sun Ce chuckled and Da Qiao gave back his handkerchief he had let her borrow. She also gave him Sun Ce's.

"Z-Zhou Yu!" Xiao Qiao gasped in horror and placed her hands over her mouth. "Oops..." Well the water element wasn't mastered, but she could at least keep it steady to a point. Lady Wu would be proud of her. She hoped the woman would tell her who needed to be saved next.

"We've got work to do," Gan Ning mused.

She nodded and rubbed her temples. "I thought we agreed that you weren't gonna screw up around Zhou Yu again," she scolded herself. "You soaked him!"

Gan Ning raised his eyebrow. "Again, who are you talking to?"

"N-No one!"

"...Right."

"I'm serious!"

**...One Step Ahead...**

**Authors note: Sorry for the late update! School is a nightmare, but that's no excuse for my negligence. Sorry! :(**


	5. Hidden Enemies

**Chapter 5: **Hidden Enemies

"So who's Lu Bu?" Xiao asked Zhou Yu as they walked down the hall. "And why's everybody so afraid of him?"

"There is an alliance forming against Dong Zhou," Zhou Yu said. "Lu Bu is one of his generals, and also his adopted son. He's known for slaughtering many, being vicious and ruthless in battle, and that is why people fear him. He's a murder above anything else, and Dong Zhou is a tyrant." He stopped and took Xiao's hand. "During the visit, do not leave my side, even if we're just marching to Shu to seek an alliance. Anything could happen."

She shook her head. "I won't. Did Sun Ce say Da Qiao can't come?"

They began pacing again and stepped outside, into the cherry blossom garden, which was frozen due to it being winter. "No, Da Qiao chose to stay here, and you should follow her example."

She pouted. "But I want to go," she whined. "You're going."

"It's my job as a strategist."

She began to fume. "Please?" There was so much innocence in her voice.

He brushed her hair out of her face. "Alright, but–"

"_Do not leave my side_," she quoted him, lifting her hand as if she were under oath. She giggled once she was finished and hugged him. When she gazed up, receiving a chaste kiss from him. "Can we go see the tigers. Zhou Yu? Sun Ce said one of them had babies."

He nodded and chuckled. "Of course."

**...One Step Ahead...**

"They're so cute!" Xiao said, holding a baby tiger in a swaddle. "Can I keep this one?"

"We're leaving soon, so probably not," Sun Ce said. "Unless Da Qiao wants to look after it for you while you're away."

Xiao looked at Da, who was shaking her head. "Xiao, you don't need a pet." When Xiao held up the adorable tiger with blue eyes in front of her sister, Da Qiao melted. "Aw… fine." She took the kitten and cooed to it. "What are you going to name it?"

"Courage," she chirped.

Zhou Yu and Sun Ce smiled. "Why courage, Xiao?" Zhou Yu asked.

"Because tigers don't back down," she said. "Wu tigers don't anyway. They're brave like that."

**...One Step Ahead...**

The land they traveled on was so cold, and Xiao was sure that her fingers might fall off, even if she was wearing gloves. "Maybe I should have stayed at home," she whispered.

Huang Gai, who was riding on her left side, asked, "Having second thoughts?"

She blushed and shook her head. "N–No way!" Although her water power wasn't mastered yet, she could still use it in battle, especially now since frozen water could be used as lethal ice shards on this tundra of a battlefield.

"Everyone make ready!" Sun Ce said, rushing off on his horse. "We're not far now!" As they rode further into the forest, an arrow flew by, nicking Lu Xun's arm.

"Everyone take cover!" Huang Gai said.

"Split up!" Zhou Yu said. "We'll be less liabilities if we do!"

Lu Xun and Sun Ce nodded, sprinting off on in opposite directions. Xiao was following behind her husband. Huang Gai and his unit ran off within the snow covered forest, on hidden paths within the trees.

It was while Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao were riding down a path that rocks began to fall from the cliffs above them. A flash of pink was seen when Xiao glanced up and the boulders fell behind them, rolling after them down the slope.

"Zhou Yu!" Xiao shouted, noticing that at the bottom of the slope was a dead end that led to a drop off. A frozen river was waiting to be penetrated by them if they reached the drop off. "What do we do?!"

"We'll have to jump, Xiao!" he told her.

She shook her head. "But it's too scary!"

"Xiao, we don't have a choice!" They reached the drop off and jumped off their horses during the fall. Their horses were the first to break through the frozen lake, and Xiao and Zhou broke through soon after. Blood was seen by Diao Chan, once the couple and their horses hit the ice, and even more was visible once the boulders collided into the river.

She waited a moment, with arrow men, hoping to see if Xiao Qiao or Zhou Yu would try and swim back up. After seeing no one, she left to go meet up with her husband. Underneath a part of the river that was still frozen, Xiao Qiao was there, touching the ice and trying to break free. Air bubbles escaped her mouth as she moved in the below freezing water, which felt like needles to her, stabbing her over and over again.

It was then that she let herself float down and aimed her shivering hand at the ice. The water energy she used pushed it forward and shot straight up. She swam to the top and climbed out of the river, lying down the ice. To her right, she saw Zhou Yu, with half of his body out of the ice, and his lower half still in. He was bleeding from the head, and unconscious.

She shivered and crawled over to him. "Z–Zhou Yu," she whispered. She tried to pull him out of the water and started to scream when another hand easily pulled Zhou Yu out.

"It's alright," Guan Yu said.

Zhou Yun was behind him, with two warriors, and a carrier to place Zhou Yu on. "We're here to help."

"Zhou Yu!" Sun Ce hollered. He ran over to his unconscious best friend. "What happened?"

Before Xiao Qiao could answer, Xing Cai came up to her and said, "You're bleeding."

Xiao looked down at her wounds and finally felt that her arm was possibly broken, her shoulder blade was out of place, and her ear was oozing body fluid. She fainted once she saw how many gashes Zhou Yu had on him.

After they all made it to Shu headquarters, Lui Bei asked Zhou Yun, "Who did this?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "We checked the area several times, My Lord. Whoever was there, fled before we arrived."

Lui Bei frowned and told a messenger, "Send another search unit." He went to the infirmary and saw some maids tending to Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao's wounds. Even in her sleep, Xiao Qiao looked terrified, even as Lady Wu comforted her in her dreams.

_"Lady Wu…"_

_"It's alright, Xiao. You and Zhou will be fine for now." _That was just it wasn't it? For now? There was always a catch.

* * *

**That's all for now! Review if you want. I'm tired and going to sleep! Piece!**


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